24 New Baby Gorillas Bring Hope for the Species – and Adorable Photos!

In the wake of a 26 percent population boost for this iconic species, the addition of 24 adorable baby mountain gorillas offer new hope for the future.

On September 5, the 11th Annual Gorilla Naming Ceremony known as Kwita Izina took place at the foothills of the Virunga Mountains. The theme of the day was “Conserving Now and For the Future.”

Each of the newborn gorillas were given a name representative of their personality, circumstances of birth, or a hope for the future.

All Photos copyright Keiko Mori, used with permission

Among them was Icyifuzo, which means to “wish,” and Guhuza, meaning “come together.”

Rwanda has been closely tracking an increase in their gorilla population and have registered a 26.3 percent boost.

Although gorilla naming, a uniquely Rwandan tradition, has always been a part of the country’s culture, Kwita Izina was introduced in 2005 with the aim of creating awareness for the endangered mountain gorilla.